This is not an official government website.
Copyright © 2026 PLEJ LC. All rights reserved.
Congressional Daily Record
This section is a tribute, commemoration, or district-facing statement.
Issued
March 26, 2026
house side of the record
People
0
No members linked from this section
Legislation
0
No linked legislation in this section
Committees
0
No linked committees in this section
Senate Holds
0
No hold activity linked here
Source Document
Connected Data
This section does not yet have linked people, bills, or committees in the reader view.
Source Control
Reader mode is for comprehension. The linked government PDF is the official published source.
Download official House Record PDFReturn to issue contextMr. Van Epps of Tennessee was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.)
Mr. VAN EPPS. Madam Speaker, I rise today with deep humility and profound gratitude to honor one of the most elite and storied units in our Armed Forces, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the Night Stalkers.
but as someone who wore that patch, who flew alongside these extraordinary men and women, and who witnessed firsthand their quiet professionalism, their relentless discipline, and their unwavering commitment to mission and country.
excellence. In 1980, after the tragic events of Operation Eagle Claw in Iran, our Nation recognized a critical gap. We needed a unit capable of executing the most complex, high-risk missions in the most demanding environments on Earth, at night, and under any conditions.
From that necessity, the 160th was created. What began as a response to failure has become one of the most capable and respected special operations aviation units in the world. Their motto is simple: “Night Stalkers don't quit,” and they don't.
countless missions that will never publicly be known—the Night Stalkers have been there: flying low, flying fast, and flying
into the most dangerous places on Earth so that others may succeed.
Nation's most elite special operations forces to the fight and bring them home. Often, they do it in silence, without recognition, without headlines, and without fanfare. But make no mistake: the success of countless missions and the safety of countless Americans rests on their shoulders.
Military Academy at West Point, where I learned what it meant to lead and to serve. I went on to fly Apache attack helicopters on my first combat deployment to Iraq, but it was my selection into the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment at Fort Campbell that defined the most challenging and most meaningful chapter of my military career.
At Fort Campbell, I had the honor of serving alongside the very best. The standard is unforgiving. The training is relentless, and the expectation is clear: Mission first, people always.
theory, but in practice. It was there that I saw the character of the American warfighter at its finest.
community that supports it. Clarksville, Montgomery County, and the surrounding region are more than just locations on a map. They are a critical part of the mission. They are home to thousands of servicemembers and their families. They are communities that understand sacrifice, communities that show up, and communities that support those who serve, not just in words, but in action.
strongest military civilian partnerships in our Nation, and we are stronger because of it.
Madam Speaker, the Night Stalkers are defined by their ethos: “Night Stalkers don't quit.” But that ethos is more than a slogan. It is a promise—a promise to the elite special operators they carry, a promise to the missions they execute, and a promise to the Nation they serve.
It means flying into danger when others cannot. It means pressing forward when conditions say turn back, and it means doing the hard things over and over again without recognition, without hesitation, and without failure.
Night Stalkers, and it is my honor today to stand on this floor and say on behalf of a grateful Nation: Night Stalkers don't quit, and neither will we.